Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-29

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son for securing the funds for the coming
wear. holding annual meetings, anniversa-
ries. etc. and avoiding the Christmas hoii-
DAYS when everybody is full Of something
else and all time so completely occupied.
When ready to commence your canvass
hiring YOUR committee together and go over
the list of names of those from whom you
expect to receive Your support, dividing ii
into as many parts as your committee has
members, and giving each one such persons
to solicit as he is best adapted to approach
making him responsible for that subscription
or the persons reason for not subscribing
hut let him do this work in his own way
going to him alone, with another member Of
the committee or with whoever can best In
6uerce him in the right direction. There art
a few persons you can always depend on
no matter who solicits them. They loos
upon the cause and if it is worthy will aid it.
but the great majority Of people must De
approached by persons that are agreeable 11
them personally and in whom they have fui
confidence. Secure first the pledges OF those
that are likely to be your most liberal con-
tributors. This will greatly encourage your
committee at the start and it is much easier
to secure subscriptions from some persons
when they see what others have done, and
that the enterprise will succeed whether they
aid it or not.
The committee should be well posted as
to the needs of the work and able to
give a good account of what the
money is to be used for. When business
men give to an enterprise they want to know
that the money will be wisely spent as well
as that the object is worthy.
| Don't be afraid to ask for definite
amounts II you need $50 from some man
and you think he ought to pay it, ask him for
| it. You may not get it, but you will be
| more apt to than you will if you say: "We
would like to have you help US a little if you
| feel like it,"
Don't take subscriptions to be paid weekly
or monthly, that will do in a church where
collections are taken up every week, but as
we rarely take collections in association meet
ings, it might be about as much trouble to
collect such pledges as they are worth.
Don't solicit subscription from man
that you know to be poor pay, from one
that you have had difficulty in collecting
| from before, nor from man that don't be-
lieve in the work. Spend all the time neces-
sary in explaining the nature and extent OF
| the work; in removing false idea Of what the
Y. NJ. c. A. is and does, but don't compel a
man to give you something to get rid Of you,
and don't beg The Y. NJ. G. A. is not en-
object of charity, for it gives out vastly
more than it receives, and only needs to have
its methods and the results of its work
known, in order to be literally supported rs
business investment.
In collecting money subscribed always
give receipts, whether asked or not, as 1t
tends to show that we 90 our business on cor
rect principles.
Finally, don't get discouraged. There is
plenty of money for US if we send the right
men to the right places for it, and it is the
business OF the finance committee to find out
how to do this, and if your general secretary
is like ours he will keep punching you up,
until it will be easier for you to do it, than it
will be to neglect it.
A discussion followed the reading Of the
paper, members Of the convention asking
questions of Mr.. Lawrence as to the various
plans and methods of best raising funds for
association work. Quite variety Of opinions
were offered, the point seeming to bring out
The most interesting was the question. whether
it was best to accept money from a person
who took no interest in the work Mr.. Law
renee held that it was best to accept money
only from those who wished to give it, and
that committees should not go around and
obtain money only from men by simply
! wearing them out. One gentlemen thought
this plan might work in large cities like
Wichita, Topeka and Leavenworth, but in
smaller towns the associations were obliged
to get what money they could and where
they could. Mr.. Lawrence thought there
were men enough in any town in Kansas
| enough interested in the work to give in pro-
portion to the needs of that town, and that
most men might be made to take interest by
explaining to them in business way what
| an association could do and what moral in
fiuences it would have upon the young..men in
| county The question of installment sub
| scriptions and the time to solicit funds was
| fully discussed. In reply TO a question as to
| what time in the day it was best to present
| the matter to man, one gentleman arose
and said he thought it should only be done
| Immediately after dinner. He said that he
| had experience, and he knew that at this time
| OF the day you could get larger subscrip-
| ton from man than at any other. A gen.
| tleman from Junction City suggested that
the way to go after subscriptions was to ask
man and believe he is going to give, and if
you really believe and act so he is much more
apt to respond than to go and ask him if he
| cant give little something to help along
the cause The questions and answers came
thick and fast for over half an hour, and the
| different ideas and opinions presented cannot
| fail of being OF great benefit to the associa-
| ton in conducting their finances.
STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES REPORT.
TOPEKA, Kan, Oct. p, 1887.
To the Sixth Annual Convention OF the Young
Mems Christian Association OF kansas;
| The year that ends with the closing of the
present month has in many respects been a
very eventful one in the history of our state
| work. The effects Of the unusually success
| full fifth annual convention held at Ottawa
last year have been manifestly felt, causing
special blessings to come IN different ways to
| the Y Dung Mems Christian Associations Of the
state during the past year.
The report Of the state secretary will show
in detail the marked progress and permanent
| growth Of the work all along the line
The older associations have been, as a gen
eral thing, greatly prospered and strength
1 anoI